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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: current · fan · kick · mark · chest · saw · leaves · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. kick — in football
  4. chest — a box
  5. current — happening now
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chest — of your body
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. current — electric
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — with a leg

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