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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cap — of ice
  3. kick — in football
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bass — low music
  7. current — electric
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. current — happening now
  13. vault — a safe
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cap — a lid
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — of water
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a great time

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