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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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. squash — the sport
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cold — an illness
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. object — a thing
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — an aim
  14. cold — not warm
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — to protest
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. squash — to crush

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