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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to click
  3. current — electric
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bound — certain
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bound — obliged
  13. current — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. current — happening now
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bound — tied together

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