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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. current — electric
  4. object — an aim
  5. key — in music
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stock — goods
  9. current — of water
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spring — a coil
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. spring — the season
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chip — for betting
  19. spring — of water
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stock — shares
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. key — for a lock

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