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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rest — what's left
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — a match
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. net — for catching
  14. mine — for digging
  15. current — electric
  16. net — in sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. net — after costs
  20. rock — music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rest — a break
  24. current — of water

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