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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cap — a lid
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — a grade
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ground — a position
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. last — to go on
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. last — finally
  19. ground — crushed
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ground — the earth
  22. last — final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cap — of ice

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