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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. current — electric
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. current — of water
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. staff — employees
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — in music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bear — the animal

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