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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.

Make a worksheet

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: vault · mate · wave · spring · temple · leaves · stock · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. game — wild animals
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. vault — a safe
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — the season
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — to breed
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. spring — of water
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stock — goods
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. mate — a partner
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. leaves — of a tree

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