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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spring — of water
  6. game — a match
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. vault — a safe
  14. spring — a coil
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — to keep track
  19. spring — the season
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. track — a path

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