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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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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: pit · club · foot · content · mouse · rash · current · vault

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. club — for golf
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rash — hasty
  6. content — the amount
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. vault — a safe
  9. current — electric
  10. foot — a measure
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. current — of water
  18. content — happy
  19. current — happening now
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. club — a group
  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