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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 124 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lean — thin
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lean — to bend
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rock — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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