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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  2. current — electric
  3. foot — a measure
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fall — the season
  6. current — of water
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. current — happening now
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fall — to drop
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. perch — the fish
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chip — for betting
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. jam — in traffic
  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