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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bore — to drill
  8. race — a contest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — happening now
  12. bore — to tire
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. current — of water
  17. race — humankind
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. current — electric
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — gave birth

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