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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spell — magic
  6. land — ground
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. current — happening now
  17. land — to come down
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — completely
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. land — a country
  24. spell — a short time

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