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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. squash — the sport
  3. current — electric
  4. ball — a dance
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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