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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — after costs
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. net — in sport
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mug — to rob
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. game — wild animals
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. game — a match
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mug — a face
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — certain
  18. season — of the year
  19. current — happening now
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. net — for catching
  22. season — in sport
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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