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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.

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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
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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: hand · object · current · lean · key · tube · ball · land

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. land — to come down
  3. key — the most important part
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. current — of water
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hand — in cards
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — a country
  11. key — for a lock
  12. object — to protest
  13. hand — help
  14. object — an aim
  15. ball — a dance
  16. current — electric
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lean — thin
  20. current — happening now
  21. land — ground
  22. lean — to bend
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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