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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 116 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 · wave · kick · game · vault · saw · pound · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. game — a match
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. net — for catching
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. saw — the tool
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pound — a weight
  24. game — a kind of play

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