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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — a division
  3. cue — a hint
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. drill — army training
  8. saw — the tool
  9. track — a song
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. drill — a practice
  13. track — a path
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. track — to keep track
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chair — a leader

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