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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lean — thin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. kick — in football
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bass — low music
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. current — happening now
  12. track — a song
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. vault — a safe

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