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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.

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: fine · bulb · hide · chest · key · wind · current · pop

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. current — of water
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — soda
  6. chest — a box
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pop — music
  10. current — electric
  11. chest — of your body
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — happening now
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. fine — all right
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. key — in music
  24. bulb — for light

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