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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. current — of water
  6. stock — shares
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. snap — to click
  10. current — electric
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bound — tied together
  16. drill — army training
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. current — happening now
  23. drill — the tool
  24. patient — a sick person

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