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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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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wind — moving air
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chip — for betting
  7. current — happening now
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. current — of water
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. can — a tin
  16. wake — a trail
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. staff — employees
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. chip — to eat
  23. current — electric
  24. can — a tin

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