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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: wave · vault · deal · lash · bass · jam · mate · root

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. root — of a word
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. root — the cause
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wave — with your hand

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