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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 116 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. drill — a practice
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. last — finally
  6. drill — army training
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — electric
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. last — final
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. current — happening now
  16. last — to go on
  17. drill — the tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. current — of water
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. vault — a safe

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