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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. current — electric
  6. pound — a weight
  7. present — a gift
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — the time now
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. present — there
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rest — what's left

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