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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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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 · vault · kick · bear · trunk · squash · board · snap

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. board — a committee
  5. squash — the sport
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. squash — to crush
  14. snap — to click
  15. board — to get on
  16. current — happening now
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. vault — a safe
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. current — of water
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. kick — in football

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