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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bass — the fish
  4. suit — in cards
  5. current — happening now
  6. key — the most important part
  7. net — after costs
  8. key — for a lock
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. land — ground
  11. current — of water
  12. bear — the animal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. key — in music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — clothes
  18. current — electric
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. net — for catching
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. land — to come down
  24. net — in sport

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