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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lie — to recline
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ball — a dance
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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