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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 116 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.

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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. swing — music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. swing — in golf
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. land — a country
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. snap — to click
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. land — to come down
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. land — ground
  22. pass — a permit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fork — in a road

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