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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 120 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 looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wound — an injury
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mate — a friend
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chair — a leader
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mate — a partner
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. chip — in a computer

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