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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. kick — in football
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — a trail
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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