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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
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 · key · swing · temple · wake · toast · plane · last

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. key — in music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. key — for a lock
  5. current — electric
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. last — to go on
  8. toast — bread
  9. current — of water
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — final
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. current — happening now
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. last — finally
  23. key — the most important part
  24. swing — to play on

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