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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. ground — crushed
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — happening now
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bank — for money
  7. spring — the season
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ground — a position
  10. rule — government
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spring — of water
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wake — a trail
  18. spring — a coil
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rule — a law
  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