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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. current — electric
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. club — for golf
  6. cold — an illness
  7. current — of water
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — in music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. current — happening now
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. club — a group
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cold — not warm
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chair — a leader
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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