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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — a safe
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to click
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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