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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 120 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ball — a great time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tear — from crying
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. board — a committee
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a dance
  14. board — to get on
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. leaves — to go away

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