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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. spell — letters
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mate — a partner
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. tear — from crying
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cue — a hint
  11. key — in music
  12. tear — to rip
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mate — a friend
  15. vault — a safe
  16. key — for a lock
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. kick — in football
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. spell — magic
  24. tear — from crying

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