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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 116 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: vault · wave · ball · kick · pitch · mouse

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. kick — in football
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mouse — the animal

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