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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — a break
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bat — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. squash — the sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. current — happening now
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. current — of water

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