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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — government
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rule — a law
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bear — to put up with

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