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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bass — low music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. hand — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bass — the fish
  17. current — happening now
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. hand — help
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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