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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. row — a line
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. present — there
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. season — of the year
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bat — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. present — the time now
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. row — to paddle
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. vault — a safe
  24. season — in sport

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