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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: deal · fan · drill · current · bear · mug · key · clip

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. current — happening now
  4. deal — to handle
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mug — a cup
  8. key — the most important part
  9. clip — to cut
  10. current — of water
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mug — a face
  16. current — electric
  17. mug — to rob
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — the animal
  22. clip — a video
  23. bear — the animal
  24. clip — for paper

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