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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chip — for betting
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kid — to tease
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. chip — to eat
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wake — a trail
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wave — with your hand

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