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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: wave · arm · fan · game · perch · last · vault · coach

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — the fish
  3. last — finally
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. game — a match
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. last — to go on
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. last — final
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. game — wild animals
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. game — a kind of play

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