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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. pop — music
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. current — happening now
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. prune — to trim
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rule — government
  15. current — of water
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mate — to breed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pop — soda
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — the fish
  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