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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. current — happening now
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. current — electric
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. deal — to handle
  14. current — of water
  15. pit — a hole
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cell — in biology
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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