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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. club — for golf
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — to tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. club — a group
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pass — to spend time

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