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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. current — electric
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. shower — rain
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. vault — a safe
  11. present — the time now
  12. current — of water
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fork — in a road
  17. present — a gift
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. present — there
  20. current — happening now
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — to wash

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