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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. key — the most important part
  7. band — a music group
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — of water
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pop — soda
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mate — a partner
  21. key — in music
  22. band — a ring
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. race — humankind

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