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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. field — for sport
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. object — a thing
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. vault — a safe
  8. club — for dancing
  9. field — a subject
  10. club — a group
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. object — to protest
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. object — an aim
  18. club — for golf
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. field — farmland
  23. roll — a list
  24. bark — to shout

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