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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. shower — rain
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. vault — a safe
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. fall — the season
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. shower — to wash
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fall — to drop
  23. coach — a trainer
  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