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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · wave · nail · root · vault · fan · bat · row

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. root — of a word
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. row — to paddle
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a line
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. row — a quarrel

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