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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cue — a signal
  6. current — of water
  7. rash — a series
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — for pool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cold — an illness
  12. current — happening now
  13. object — a thing
  14. spell — magic
  15. object — to protest
  16. cue — a hint
  17. vault — a safe
  18. spell — letters
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. object — an aim
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rash — hasty
  24. current — electric

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