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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. march — the month
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. row — a line
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. vault — a safe
  16. march — music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. march — the month
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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