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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: kick · net · swing · vault · wave · patient

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. net — for catching
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. net — in sport
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. swing — to play on
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. kick — in football
  16. vault — a safe
  17. net — after costs
  18. swing — in golf

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