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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — completely
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rule — a law
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — government
  24. pound — for dogs

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