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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 124 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. current — electric
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — the earth
  5. swing — music
  6. ground — a position
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — to wash
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — in control
  12. current — of water
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — in music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — music
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ground — crushed
  24. swing — to play on

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