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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wound — an injury
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rush — hurry
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. current — happening now
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. current — of water
  24. leaves — lets stay

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