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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. last — to go on
  3. mark — a trace
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. last — finally
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — to be able to
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. land — ground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. vault — a safe
  18. can — a tin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. last — final
  24. craft — a skill

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