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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — of water
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. object — to protest
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. current — happening now
  7. track — a song
  8. current — electric
  9. object — a thing
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. track — to keep track
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a grade
  16. track — a path
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bat — the animal
  24. rule — government

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