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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: jam · cap · vault · wave · arm · snap · club · board

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cap — of ice
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. club — for dancing
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — to get on
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — for golf
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. arm — part of the body

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