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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · spring · racket · scale · lean · hand · key · sharp

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. current — electric
  3. spring — the season
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — happening now
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — size or range
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spring — of water
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — in music
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. hand — help
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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