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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mug — a face
  3. pound — a weight
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. current — of water
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mug — a cup
  8. kick — in football
  9. cell — in biology
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cell — a phone
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. current — electric
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. temple — side of the head

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