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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · current · key · fork · rest · mouse · object · mine

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rest — a break
  4. key — the most important part
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pop — soda
  9. object — to protest
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. current — of water
  14. pop — music
  15. key — in music
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. current — electric
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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