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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. scale — size or range
  7. vault — a safe
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. scale — in music
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. clip — a video
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — to get on

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