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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. current — electric
  4. plane — a tool
  5. current — happening now
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spell — a short time
  16. snap — to click
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — for a lock
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spell — magic

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