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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. current — electric
  6. kick — in football
  7. current — happening now
  8. charge — a price
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. race — humankind
  12. mug — a face
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — in control
  15. mug — to rob
  16. current — of water
  17. charge — electricity
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. race — the arms race
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mug — a cup
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rash — a series

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