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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — of water
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. current — happening now
  6. pop — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pop — to visit
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bat — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. current — electric
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pop — soda

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