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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.

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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: can · saw · current · spell · wound · leaves · vault · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wound — an injury
  7. current — electric
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spell — magic
  13. can — a tin
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spell — a short time
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a path
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — to be able to
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — letters

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