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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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. land — to come down
  4. cue — a signal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. march — music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. current — electric
  9. saw — the tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cue — a hint
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. land — a country
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. land — ground
  21. cue — for pool
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. rock — to move gently

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