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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. vault — a safe
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ground — a position
  5. current — electric
  6. rash — a series
  7. tube — the underground
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — happening now
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. board — to get on
  15. tube — a container
  16. board — a committee
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. current — of water
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ground — crushed
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pitch — a sports field

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