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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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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: cap · wave · patient · season · deal · bark · vault · racket

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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 — in gymnastics
  2. season — of the year
  3. bark — to shout
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. deal — to handle
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. vault — a safe
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — of ice
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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