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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. vault — a safe
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. land — to come down
  11. current — happening now
  12. cold — an illness
  13. current — of water
  14. cold — not warm
  15. land — a country
  16. mug — a cup
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bank — of a river
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — to rob
  24. suit — in cards

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