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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. current — happening now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. vault — a safe
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. root — of a word
  14. bat — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. root — the cause
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bat — for baseball

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