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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 · charge · nail · game · key · suit · bulb · foot

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — to fit
  6. current — electric
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. key — for a lock
  10. game — wild animals
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. charge — electricity
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. current — happening now
  19. game — a match
  20. charge — in control
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. suit — clothes

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