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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. march — the month
  5. mine — for digging
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. current — happening now
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — in control
  12. march — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. dip — to sink
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. charge — a price
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bark — to shout
  22. vault — a safe
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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