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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — a safe
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. hand — help
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wound — an injury
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wound — an injury
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. temple — a place of worship

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