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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cold — an illness
  4. tube — a container
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. current — electric
  17. vault — a safe
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — of water
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cold — not warm

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