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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. bound — tied together
  4. current — of water
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. key — in music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bound — certain
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bound — obliged
  14. key — the most important part
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. dip — to sink
  20. snap — to click
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chip — to eat
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com