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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. spell — a short time
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. march — the month
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. march — the month
  8. current — happening now
  9. bat — the animal
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — magic
  17. current — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — letters
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. current — electric
  22. march — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  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