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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: swing · wave · spell · pit · patient · arm · vault · fork

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. swing — in golf
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. swing — music
  10. spell — magic
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. spell — a short time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. swing — to play on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spell — letters
  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