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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: rule · mug · shower · vault · mine · current · craft · march

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — a law
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. march — the month
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — boats
  8. mug — a face
  9. march — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. current — happening now
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mine — for digging
  17. craft — a skill
  18. current — of water
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mug — to rob
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — to wash

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