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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: snap · degree · suit · pit · current · arm · key · nail

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. key — for a lock
  6. degree — temperature
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pit — in a race
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — happening now
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — of water
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. current — electric
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — on a finger

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