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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: key · current · fine · wax · mine · squash · mate · cabinet

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — electric
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — to grow
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mate — a partner
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — all right
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. current — happening now
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. current — of water
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. key — the most important part

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