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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. drill — the tool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. drill — a practice
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ground — the earth
  7. drill — army training
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ground — a position
  13. kick — in football
  14. board — to get on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. perch — the fish
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ground — crushed
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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