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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. land — to come down
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kick — in football
  11. land — ground
  12. saw — the tool
  13. land — a country
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — a weight
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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