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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: kick · vault · wind · cap · chair · bass

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wind — moving air

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