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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · pop · wake · current · bore · foot

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. 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. pop — soda
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. current — electric
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pop — to visit
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — to tire
  14. current — of water
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pop — music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. 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