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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — a safe
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. club — for dancing
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wound — an injury
  15. club — for golf
  16. wound — an injury
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. current — happening now
  20. bound — certain
  21. current — electric
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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