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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. current — happening now
  3. court — of law
  4. current — electric
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — a group
  7. track — to keep track
  8. file — a line of people
  9. vault — a safe
  10. track — a song
  11. current — of water
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. court — for sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. track — a path
  21. club — for golf
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. court — of a king
  24. club — for dancing

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