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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. degree — temperature
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fine — all right
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. degree — an amount
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. vault — a safe
  24. calf — a young animal

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