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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cue — a hint
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. current — of water
  22. pit — a hole
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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