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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hand — in cards
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hand — help
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cell — in biology
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. face — part of the head
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. face — to confront
  24. vault — a safe

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