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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. toast — bread
  6. current — happening now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pound — a weight
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — in music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. board — a committee
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. vault — a safe
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — to get on
  24. current — electric

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