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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — electric
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bound — certain
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bound — obliged
  7. current — happening now
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stem — to come from
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — tied together
  18. season — in sport
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lean — thin
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. current — of water
  24. season — of the year

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