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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bat — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. current — happening now
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. roll — a cake
  22. date — the fruit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. arm — a part of something

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