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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. last — finally
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. last — to go on
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. last — final
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chip — for betting
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fall — the season
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fall — to drop

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