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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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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: fan · fork · lean · vault · track · wave · jam · perch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. vault — a safe
  9. track — a path
  10. fork — in a road
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. track — to keep track
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. track — a song
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fan — to cool the 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