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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — a trail
  5. board — to get on
  6. root — of a word
  7. file — a document
  8. chair — a leader
  9. root — the cause
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. file — a tool
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. vault — a safe
  16. content — the amount
  17. root — of a plant
  18. file — a line of people
  19. content — happy
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. board — a committee
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. content — videos and posts

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