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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 116 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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. present — there
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. game — a match
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. snap — to click
  19. rest — what's left
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. game — wild animals
  24. vault — a safe

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