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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. land — to come down
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — finally
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. last — to go on
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. land — a country
  14. last — final
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pass — a permit
  18. root — the cause
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — to spend time
  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