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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. current — of water
  4. rash — a series
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — electric
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. current — happening now
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. vault — a safe
  21. board — to get on
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. board — a committee
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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