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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 116 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: hide · current · prune · wind · vault · squash · shower · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. current — happening now
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. squash — the sport
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. current — of water
  12. prune — to trim
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — electric
  21. shower — rain
  22. vault — a safe
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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