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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. staff — employees
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spell — letters
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — of water
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — all right
  14. lean — thin
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — in cards
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. staff — a stick
  21. key — in music
  22. spell — magic
  23. hand — help
  24. staff — employees

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