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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. club — for dancing
  3. sharp — clever
  4. current — electric
  5. mug — to rob
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mug — a face
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — in music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. plane — a tool
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rash — hasty
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. club — a group
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stand — to bear
  23. current — happening now
  24. key — for a lock

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