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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: bulb · kick · wave · fall · vault · stand

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kick — in football
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fall — the season
  18. vault — a safe

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