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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — of water
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. current — electric
  6. perch — the fish
  7. row — a line
  8. club — for golf
  9. current — happening now
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. row — to paddle
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. club — a group
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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