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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fall — to drop
  5. land — a country
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — to come down
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. land — ground
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. current — of water
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. current — electric
  18. fall — to drop
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — the season
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bulb — of a plant

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