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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rock — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. vault — a safe
  5. object — to protest
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spring — of water
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. current — electric
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rock — a stone
  14. current — of water
  15. dip — to sink
  16. object — a thing
  17. game — a match
  18. board — a committee
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. spring — the season
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. board — to get on
  23. spring — a coil
  24. current — happening now

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