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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: firm · wave · staff · shower · swing · vault · snap · foot

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. staff — a stick
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. shower — rain
  5. staff — employees
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. firm — a company
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. foot — a measure
  12. shower — to wash
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. snap — to click
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. vault — a safe
  19. firm — steady
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. swing — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. swing — in golf
  24. staff — employees

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