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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pass — a permit
  3. shower — rain
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. squash — the sport
  6. row — a line
  7. squash — to crush
  8. vault — a safe
  9. current — happening now
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. spell — a short time
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. spell — letters
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. spell — magic
  20. shower — to wash
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — of water
  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