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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. face — to confront
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. can — a tin
  12. present — there
  13. face — part of the head
  14. present — the time now
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bat — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. present — a gift
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wave — of the sea

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