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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. current — happening now
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mate — a partner
  9. hand — help
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cap — a hat
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cap — of ice
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mate — to breed
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cap — a lid
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mate — a friend

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