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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. vault — a safe
  3. spell — magic
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spell — letters
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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