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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: bulb · press · face · current · fork · key · rash · object

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. key — for a lock
  3. current — happening now
  4. object — a thing
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. press — a publisher
  9. object — an aim
  10. press — to push
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — electric
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — in music
  18. face — to confront
  19. current — of water
  20. rash — a series
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. face — to point toward
  23. object — to protest
  24. key — the most important part

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