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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. tear — from crying
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rash — a series
  8. tear — to rip
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. tube — a container
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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