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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — happening now
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. key — in music
  6. current — electric
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. face — to confront
  10. bore — to tire
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. key — the most important part
  14. last — to go on
  15. bore — to drill
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a skill
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. bulb — for light
  21. current — of water
  22. key — for a lock
  23. court — of law
  24. bulb — of a plant

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