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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — in music
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. swing — in golf
  8. row — a line
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. key — for a lock
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. current — electric
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. current — happening now
  17. key — the most important part
  18. current — of water
  19. stock — shares
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stock — goods
  22. pit — a hole
  23. vault — a safe
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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