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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tube — the underground
  9. content — the amount
  10. season — in sport
  11. current — electric
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pass — a permit
  18. chair — a leader
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. current — of water
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. tube — a container
  24. current — happening now

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