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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: rock · hide · fork · vault · current · hand · chair · track

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. current — happening now
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — a path
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — a safe
  23. track — a song
  24. fork — a garden tool

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