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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. current — of water
  3. bound — tied together
  4. field — farmland
  5. present — the time now
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. present — there
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. key — in music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. suit — in cards
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bound — obliged
  18. current — happening now
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bound — certain
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — a gift
  24. field — a subject

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