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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lean — thin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. club — for golf
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mate — a partner
  18. club — for dancing
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pass — a permit
  22. vault — a safe
  23. club — a group
  24. pass — to spend time

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