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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: track · current · kid · wave · deal · key · ruler · bound

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kid — to tease
  5. track — a song
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bound — certain
  8. key — in music
  9. bound — obliged
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. track — a path
  14. current — electric
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — of water
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — to keep track
  24. current — happening now

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