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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. staff — employees
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — a safe
  15. craft — boats
  16. date — the fruit
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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