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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: jam · object · sharp · key · current · mine · march · mark

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. current — of water
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. march — the month
  8. sharp — clever
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. key — the most important part
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. march — music
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. object — an aim
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. key — for a lock
  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