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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spring — of water
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. current — electric
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spring — a coil
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. current — of water
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. vault — a safe
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — hurry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. can — a tin
  23. current — happening now
  24. stand — for spectators

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