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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. last — finally
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. last — to go on
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. last — final
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rush — hurry

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