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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — the underground
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rock — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. chest — a box
  16. tube — a container
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chest — of your body
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tube — in a tire

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