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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. drill — a practice
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — after costs
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cap — a hat
  11. drill — army training
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cap — of ice
  14. current — of water
  15. net — for catching
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. drill — the tool
  20. net — in sport
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. fine — all right

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