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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stand — to bear
  4. file — a tool
  5. track — a path
  6. current — happening now
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — happy
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. file — a document
  12. content — the amount
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. current — of water
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. vault — a safe
  23. track — a song
  24. file — a line of people

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