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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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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: chip · drill · vault · rock · lash · snap · wave · present

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — the time now
  6. rock — music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. snap — to click
  17. chip — for betting
  18. present — there
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. present — a gift
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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