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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. roll — a list
  3. rash — a series
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rash — hasty
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. current — of water
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pop — soda
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rush — hurry
  16. current — electric
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pop — music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pop — to visit
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. nail — for a hammer

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