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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: saw · rash · board · net · dip · wave · vault · jam

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rash — hasty
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. net — for catching
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. board — a committee
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rash — a series
  20. dip — to sink
  21. net — in sport
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. board — to get on
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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