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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — happening now
  3. file — a tool
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pop — to visit
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. file — a document
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mate — to breed
  22. file — a line of people
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mate — a friend

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