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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: suit · current · mouse · file · key · temple · bulb · hand

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. suit — in cards
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hand — in cards
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — the most important part
  18. current — happening now
  19. hand — help
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. key — in music
  24. mouse — the animal

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