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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mine — for digging
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. current — electric
  10. vault — a safe
  11. suit — in cards
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cell — in biology
  18. swing — in golf
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. swing — music
  21. fork — in a road
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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