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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. spring — the season
  5. current — of water
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pit — a hole
  8. current — electric
  9. spring — of water
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rash — a series
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mate — to breed
  15. key — in music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rash — hasty
  19. spring — a coil
  20. current — happening now
  21. pit — in a race
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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