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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — happening now
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — for betting
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. current — of water
  11. spell — magic
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — a law
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spell — letters
  22. vault — a safe
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wound — an injury

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