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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.

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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cap — a lid
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cap — of ice
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bound — obliged
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cap — a hat
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bound — certain
  24. straw — dry grass

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