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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. vault — a safe
  5. track — to keep track
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. net — for catching
  8. current — happening now
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. net — in sport
  11. track — a path
  12. current — of water
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. net — after costs
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — electric
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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