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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · wave · perch · staff · lean · vault · chest · coach

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. perch — the fish
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — a safe
  6. staff — employees
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chest — of your body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — thin
  17. chest — a box
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. staff — a stick
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wave — with your hand

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