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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. band — a ring
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — in music
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. band — a music group
  15. key — for a lock
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fine — all right
  18. hand — in cards
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hand — help
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fine — high quality
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rock — a stone

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