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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: current · pop · object · shower · row · key · jam · staff

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. shower — rain
  3. object — a thing
  4. pop — music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. object — to protest
  7. key — in music
  8. current — electric
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. current — happening now
  11. object — an aim
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — of water
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. shower — to wash
  23. key — for a lock
  24. staff — employees

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