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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — music
  9. current — happening now
  10. land — ground
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. land — to come down
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. land — a country
  24. current — electric

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