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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 120 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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cold — an illness
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bat — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cold — not warm
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stand — to bear
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. hand — help
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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