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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. sharp — clever
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. current — of water
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. charge — in control
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — electric
  21. charge — electricity
  22. vault — a safe
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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