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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pop — music
  3. current — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. current — electric
  7. key — for a lock
  8. sharp — clever
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stand — to bear
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. key — in music
  14. current — happening now
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — a company
  20. pop — soda
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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