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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.

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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. shower — rain
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wind — moving air
  8. shower — to wash
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. plane — in geometry

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