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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bass — low music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. march — the month
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. vault — a safe
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. march — music
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rush — hurry
  21. current — of water
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. current — happening now

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