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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. club — for dancing
  3. current — electric
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cap — of ice
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. board — a committee
  12. cap — a hat
  13. staff — a stick
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lean — thin
  16. staff — employees
  17. club — for golf
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cap — a lid
  21. staff — employees
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — to bend
  24. club — a group

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