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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chair — a leader
  4. march — the month
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. sharp — clever
  7. march — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cap — a hat
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cap — of ice
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fan — a supporter

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