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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. march — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — the season
  10. march — the month
  11. current — of water
  12. rash — hasty
  13. current — happening now
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — a series
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. fall — to drop
  23. vault — a safe
  24. current — electric

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