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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — to handle
  6. shower — rain
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — electric
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — of water
  12. row — a line
  13. current — happening now
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. vault — a safe
  16. land — ground
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. shower — to wash
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. land — to come down
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — a country

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