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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. current — happening now
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chair — a leader
  12. vault — a safe
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cell — in biology
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. perch — the fish
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cell — a phone
  20. snap — to click
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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