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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. chest — a box
  3. vault — a safe
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. present — the time now
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. present — there
  10. pitch — completely
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. present — a gift
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. foot — a measure
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. sharp — clever
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — with an edge

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