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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. club — for dancing
  5. firm — steady
  6. rock — a stone
  7. kid — child
  8. shower — rain
  9. current — electric
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rest — what's left
  12. shower — to wash
  13. firm — decided
  14. kid — to tease
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. current — of water
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. club — for golf
  19. current — happening now
  20. firm — a company
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — a group

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