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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. current — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. current — happening now
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. spring — of water
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. perch — the fish
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spring — a coil
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — in music
  20. board — to get on
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. current — electric
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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