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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — of water
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rush — hurry
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. roll — a list
  20. current — electric
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. leaves — of a tree

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