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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a ring
  3. bore — to tire
  4. current — happening now
  5. file — a document
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. band — a music group
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. current — of water
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. file — a tool
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. vault — a safe
  17. file — a line of people
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — electric
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. last — final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — to lash out

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