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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — a safe
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. current — electric
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. current — happening now
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. current — of water
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. prune — to trim
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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