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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rule — a law
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — a permit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. object — an aim
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. object — a thing
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rule — government
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — to protest

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