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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 124 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. board — a committee
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — in music
  5. clip — for paper
  6. board — to get on
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. key — for a lock
  9. clip — a video
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. clip — to cut
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rest — a break
  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