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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. club — for dancing
  3. current — happening now
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rush — hurry
  6. current — of water
  7. kid — child
  8. pop — music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pop — soda
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. row — a line
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — to visit
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. club — a group
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. club — for golf

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