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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: dip · stand · sharp · toast · cap · vault · mate · wave

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cap — a hat
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. toast — bread
  14. dip — to sink
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. cap — of ice
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stand — to bear
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. vault — a safe

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