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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · staff · charge · straw · wave · jam · spring · vault

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. spring — a coil
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. dip — to sink
  13. charge — electricity
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. staff — employees
  21. vault — a safe
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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