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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 seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a hole
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. roll — a cake
  7. degree — from a university
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fine — all right
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. roll — a list
  24. degree — an amount

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