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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. staff — a stick
  15. dip — to sink
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — a series
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mine — for digging
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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