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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. cap — a hat
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. season — in sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. current — electric
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cap — of ice
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. current — of water
  24. season — of the year

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