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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — happening now
  4. tube — a container
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — certain
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. current — electric
  11. vault — a safe
  12. court — of a king
  13. track — a song
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. current — of water
  17. bound — tied together
  18. tube — the underground
  19. track — a path
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — obliged
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. track — to keep track

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