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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wake — a trail
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. snap — to click
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stock — shares
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stock — goods
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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