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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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Word bank
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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chest — of your body
  8. current — electric
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a great time
  12. race — humankind
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. race — a contest
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — of water

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