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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 120 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: season · current · key · suit · mark · racket · stand · rock

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — electric
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. key — the most important part
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. current — of water
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — music
  22. key — in music
  23. season — in sport
  24. current — happening now

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