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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.

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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mug — a face
  4. swing — to play on
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mug — a cup
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — a safe
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — electric
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. current — of water
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. swing — music
  24. current — happening now

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