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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: fall · bore · scale · spell · swing · current · key · object

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. spell — magic
  3. fall — to drop
  4. object — a thing
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bore — to tire
  7. object — an aim
  8. current — of water
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fall — the season
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — size or range
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — happening now
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — electric
  19. object — to protest
  20. swing — music
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. spell — a short time

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