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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rest — a break
  7. rush — hurry
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — of water
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pitcher — a jug

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