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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · bowl · race · key · current · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — to fit
  9. race — a contest
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. key — in music
  13. race — the arms race
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tear — to rip
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. race — humankind

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