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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spell — letters
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. current — happening now
  9. spell — magic
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. club — for golf
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wind — moving air
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — in music
  24. current — of water

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