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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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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: pass · straw · wave · vault · mine · land · bulb · firm

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. land — a country
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pass — to succeed

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