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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. current — of water
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — happening now
  5. tear — from crying
  6. scale — in music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. deal — to handle
  12. present — a gift
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. tear — from crying
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — in music
  18. present — there
  19. scale — size or range
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. band — a music group
  22. current — electric
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. band — a ring

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