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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rest — a break
  5. foot — a measure
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. current — happening now
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. roll — a list
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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