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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spring — of water
  3. spell — magic
  4. current — of water
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — electric
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spring — a coil
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spell — letters
  14. cap — a lid
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — hurry
  19. spring — the season
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. current — happening now
  24. vault — a safe

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