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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ground — the earth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ground — crushed
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — of water
  18. ground — a position
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. suit — in cards

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