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

Word bank: net · current · swing · vault · date · bore

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bore — to tire
  6. net — after costs
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bore — to drill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. net — for catching
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. vault — a safe
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — in sport
  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