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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ball — a great time
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. track — to keep track
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rule — government
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. track — a path
  14. current — happening now
  15. track — a song
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. vault — a safe
  24. current — electric

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