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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. perch — the fish
  6. band — a ring
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. roll — a list
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. roll — a cake
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. band — a music group
  18. lean — thin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. key — the most important part
  24. roll — on a roll

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