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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 124 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ground — the earth
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. current — of water
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. kid — child
  13. current — happening now
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ground — a position
  17. fall — the season
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. current — electric
  24. key — the most important part

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