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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — in music
  4. current — of water
  5. spell — magic
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. current — happening now
  8. can — a tin
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. spell — letters
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. key — the most important part
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. vault — a safe
  18. current — electric
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. key — for a lock
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. foot — a measure

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