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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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Word bank
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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: wound · current · can · cell · key · present

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cell — a phone
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. current — happening now
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. current — electric
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. key — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — the most important part
  16. present — a gift
  17. key — for a lock
  18. current — of water

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