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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. band — a ring
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bank — of a river
  10. band — a music group
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. current — electric
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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