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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. court — of law
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. court — for sport
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bat — the animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pound — a weight
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. court — of a king
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — to hit hard

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