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

Word bank: saw · wave · season · bay · vault · ruler · dip · perch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — the fish
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. season — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — to sink
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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