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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: staff · wave · kick · pitcher · vault · board · sharp · kid

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. kid — to tease
  6. staff — a stick
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. staff — employees
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. board — to get on
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. sharp — clever
  23. kick — in football
  24. kid — child

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