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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 120 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: bark · swing · wave · leaves · snap · fine · vault · rash

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fine — all right
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bark — to shout
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. snap — to click
  20. swing — music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rash — a series
  23. swing — to play on
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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