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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. shower — rain
  3. vault — a safe
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. current — happening now
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. shower — to wash
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wind — moving air
  11. track — to keep track
  12. current — electric
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. track — a path
  16. current — of water
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wind — moving air
  19. track — a song
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. branch — a division

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