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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 116 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
468
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: current · degree · rush · tube · bay · game · key · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. key — the most important part
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. key — in music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. tube — a container
  11. current — of water
  12. degree — an amount
  13. tube — the underground
  14. game — a match
  15. degree — from a university
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — happening now
  18. key — for a lock
  19. game — wild animals
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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