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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — a safe
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. current — electric
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. foot — a measure
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. deal — to handle
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cell — a phone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cell — in biology
  24. current — of water

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