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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. file — a line of people
  4. march — the month
  5. file — a document
  6. object — an aim
  7. face — part of the head
  8. tube — the underground
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. face — to confront
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tube — a container
  17. march — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. object — to protest
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. march — the month
  24. current — electric

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