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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · current · craft · vault · leaves · hide · tube · press

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. current — electric
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. tube — a container
  7. craft — boats
  8. press — a publisher
  9. tube — the underground
  10. current — of water
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spell — letters
  14. current — happening now
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — a safe
  18. spell — a short time
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. tube — in a tire

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