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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pop — soda
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. vault — a safe
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pop — music
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pop — to visit
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ground — a position
  24. bear — the 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