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

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — for pool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wind — moving air
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cue — a signal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wind — moving air
  18. date — the fruit

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