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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lean — to bend
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — a thing
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. game — wild animals
  24. object — an aim

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