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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mug — to rob
  10. clip — to cut
  11. mug — a cup
  12. clip — a video
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. shower — rain
  15. mug — a face
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. current — electric
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. current — of water
  21. vault — a safe
  22. current — happening now
  23. shower — to wash
  24. racket — a loud noise

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