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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 · pitcher · chip · arm · present · vault · craft · wake

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wake — a trail
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. chip — for betting
  13. vault — a safe
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. craft — boats
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. current — electric
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. current — happening now

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