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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. net — for catching
  7. lean — to bend
  8. net — after costs
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. key — for a lock
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. current — of water
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — electric
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. net — in sport
  19. lean — thin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. coach — a trainer

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