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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. spell — letters
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — a skill
  7. shower — rain
  8. spell — a short time
  9. current — electric
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. spell — magic
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. current — of water
  16. pit — a hole
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. swing — in golf
  23. craft — boats
  24. staff — a stick

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