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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pop — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pop — to visit
  10. object — to protest
  11. current — of water
  12. object — an aim
  13. current — happening now
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bark — to shout
  17. row — a line
  18. pop — soda
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. object — a thing
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. vault — a safe

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