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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. current — happening now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cap — of ice
  12. vault — a safe
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — a friend
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. ground — a position
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a lid
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ground — crushed

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