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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: calf · current · bore · spring · cue · ground · club · key

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. current — electric
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bore — to tire
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ground — the earth
  9. current — of water
  10. key — in music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. current — happening now
  17. club — for golf
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. club — a group
  21. key — for a lock
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ground — a position

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