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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: saw · temple · current · net · snap · squash · vault · chip

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. current — of water
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. snap — to click
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chip — to eat
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. vault — a safe
  16. net — for catching
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. squash — the sport
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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