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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
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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: cabinet · tube · mouse · wake · content · sharp · key · current

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. content — the amount
  4. current — electric
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — of water
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — happy
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. current — happening now
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — in music

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