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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. last — finally
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. club — a group
  10. vault — a safe
  11. club — for dancing
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. saw — the tool
  18. club — for golf
  19. net — in sport
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. dip — to sink

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