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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — a safe
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. track — a path
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. current — of water
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a song
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. current — electric
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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