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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. vault — a safe
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. current — of water
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kick — in football
  20. stock — goods
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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