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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cue — a signal
  4. current — electric
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — of water
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. charge — a price
  13. stock — goods
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stock — shares
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mate — to breed
  18. kick — in football
  19. current — happening now
  20. charge — in control
  21. cue — a hint
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — to drill

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