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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — a break
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spring — of water
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. spring — a coil
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cue — a signal
  15. content — happy
  16. spring — the season
  17. current — happening now
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rest — what's left
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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