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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — government
  3. field — for sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spell — magic
  13. field — a subject
  14. rule — a law
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. board — a committee
  20. field — farmland
  21. spell — letters
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — electric
  24. foot — a measure

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