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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. object — to protest
  10. scale — size or range
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. kick — in football
  14. object — a thing
  15. scale — in music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. temple — a place of worship

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