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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. snap — to click
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fine — all right
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — thin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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