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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: wave · spell · race · cap · jam · vault · ball · lash

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. vault — a safe
  10. race — humankind
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. race — the arms race
  14. spell — magic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. spell — letters
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. spell — a short time

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