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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
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: vault · pass · rock · nail · current · march · ball · fall

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. current — happening now
  4. march — the month
  5. fall — to drop
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. march — music
  22. fall — the season
  23. current — electric
  24. march — the month

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