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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: mouse · mine · bound · staff · current · stock · key · swing

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stock — shares
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — to play on
  10. current — of water
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — in music
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mine — an explosive

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