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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: date · game · dip · mouse · object · current · can · key

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. current — of water
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — a match
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. game — wild animals
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. current — happening now
  17. object — to protest
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — electric
  20. key — the most important part
  21. date — the fruit
  22. object — an aim
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — in music

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