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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: bass · wave · current · tear · racket · trunk · vault · game

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. game — a match
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. game — wild animals
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. current — happening now
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. current — of water
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bass — low music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bass — the fish
  20. current — electric
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. tear — to rip

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