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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. vault — a safe
  4. current — electric
  5. present — the time now
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. staff — a stick
  8. present — there
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. current — of water
  11. present — a gift
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — wild animals
  16. current — happening now
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. game — a match

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