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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kid — child
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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