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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: jam · present · current · hide · key · nail · rule · bulb

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. current — happening now
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — in music
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — a law
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. present — the time now
  24. bulb — for light

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