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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. face — to confront
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a match
  22. suit — in cards
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mouse — the animal

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