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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. track — a song
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bat — the animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. track — a path
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. craft — boats
  18. staff — employees
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. staff — employees
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. vault — a safe
  23. craft — a skill
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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