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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bark — to shout
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stock — shares
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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