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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mate — a friend
  7. land — a country
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mate — a partner
  10. land — to come down
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mate — to breed
  23. land — ground
  24. wake — a trail

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