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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cue — a hint
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bank — of a river
  5. sharp — clever
  6. root — of a plant
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mark — a trace
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a word
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. root — the cause
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bank — for money
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mark — a grade

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