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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: wave · vault · pit · mine · bowl · cue · object · temple

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — to protest
  7. pit — in a race
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. object — an aim
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cue — a hint
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. temple — a place of worship

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