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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 120 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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bound — obliged
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — a safe
  12. current — of water
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. root — of a word
  16. current — happening now
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. current — electric
  19. bound — certain
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. root — the cause

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