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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: season · rest · straw · vault · pop · mark · current · pit

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pop — soda
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. current — happening now
  10. pop — music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. current — electric
  16. season — in sport
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. season — of the year
  21. vault — a safe
  22. current — of water
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pit — a hole

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