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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: rest · mate · current · rock · capital · fan · stick · key

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — in music
  4. capital — money
  5. rock — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. capital — a city
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. key — for a lock

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