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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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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: bulb · net · shower · file · wave · swing · prune · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. file — a document
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. file — a line of people
  6. net — after costs
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. net — for catching
  11. file — a tool
  12. swing — music
  13. net — in sport
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. shower — rain
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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