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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — for money
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. root — the cause
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bank — of a river
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. root — of a word
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. vault — a safe

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