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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.

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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rash — a series
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. file — a tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rash — hasty
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. file — a document
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bound — certain
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rash — on the skin

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