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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rash — hasty
  3. content — happy
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. content — the amount
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — of water
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — employees
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bulb — for light

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