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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. current — happening now
  7. pop — to visit
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pop — soda
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — of water
  16. vault — a safe
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hand — help
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hand — part of the body

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