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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.

Make a worksheet

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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. current — of water
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. file — a tool
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bass — the fish
  10. file — a document
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bass — low music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — the most important part
  22. file — a line of people
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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