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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: chair · suit · wave · bowl · vault · straw

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — in cards
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chair — a leader

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