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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. land — to come down
  4. present — the time now
  5. current — electric
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — part of the head
  12. present — a gift
  13. race — humankind
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. current — happening now
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — a contest
  18. present — there
  19. wax — to grow
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — of water
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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