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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mark — a grade
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cue — a signal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. current — electric
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wound — an injury
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. current — of water
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. squash — to crush

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