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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mug — a face
  6. object — to protest
  7. current — electric
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — a thing
  15. mug — to rob
  16. object — an aim
  17. current — happening now
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. current — of water
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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