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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — electric
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. current — of water
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — happening now
  16. saw — the tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. drill — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. ruler — for measuring

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