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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. vault — a safe
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cold — an illness
  11. rock — music
  12. firm — steady
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. firm — a company
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rock — a stone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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