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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ball — a dance
  5. race — a contest
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fine — all right
  15. saw — the tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a great time
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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