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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: current · stick · rest · swing · vault · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — a break
  11. current — happening now
  12. swing — in golf
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. current — electric

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