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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. vault — a safe
  3. present — the time now
  4. capital — a city
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. lean — to bend
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. content — happy
  16. lean — thin
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. present — a gift
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. present — there
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. capital — money

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