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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fine — high quality
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rock — music
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. current — happening now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — electric
  15. pound — a weight
  16. shower — rain
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. key — in music
  19. current — of water
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fine — a penalty

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