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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: swing · row · wave · mouse · fork · wound · vault · jam

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fork — in a road
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. row — a line
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. swing — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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