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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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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: pit · vault · bay · band · current · arm · nail · ball

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — a hole
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. band — a music group
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. band — a ring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. current — of water
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. ball — a dance
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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