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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mark — a grade
  3. field — farmland
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. current — electric
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. current — of water
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pound — a weight
  19. field — a subject
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. field — for sport
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wax — to grow

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