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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: firm · pop · mark · last · charge · key · current · prune

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pop — to visit
  3. last — to go on
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. current — electric
  6. prune — to trim
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — decided
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. pop — soda
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — a company
  15. mark — a grade
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — a price
  20. firm — steady
  21. charge — in control
  22. current — of water
  23. key — in music
  24. pop — 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