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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ground — a position
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — in music
  21. current — of water
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. ground — crushed
  24. plane — in geometry

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