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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: net · rock · pound · drill · vault · race · wave · trunk

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. race — a contest
  6. rock — a stone
  7. net — in sport
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. race — humankind
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. net — for catching
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. net — after costs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. race — the arms race

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