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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: hide · vault · root · straw · rest · wave · mark · jam

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. root — the cause
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rest — a break
  9. root — of a word
  10. vault — a safe
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. root — of a plant
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — a straw man

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