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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. current — of water
  3. mine — for digging
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rock — music
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. kid — child
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bass — low music
  18. current — electric
  19. chest — of your body
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kid — to tease

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