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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bound — obliged
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. drill — army training
  7. vault — a safe
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ground — the earth
  12. root — of a word
  13. bound — certain
  14. current — happening now
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. charge — in control
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ground — crushed
  21. root — the cause
  22. ground — a position
  23. drill — a practice
  24. current — of water

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