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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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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: board · row · current · rest · key · lie · suit · rush

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. suit — in cards
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — a committee
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. current — of water
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. row — a line
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. key — in music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — to fit
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — a break

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