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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bowl · jam · shower · pit · wake · saw · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wake — a trail
  4. current — of water
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. shower — to wash
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — in a race
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. current — happening now
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — a football final

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