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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 · pound · chair · trunk · vault · swing

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pound — a weight
  16. chair — a leader
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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