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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: game · court · wave · vault · racket · stick · bass · mug

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — a face
  5. court — of a king
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — a safe
  8. game — wild animals
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. game — a match
  17. court — of law
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. court — for sport
  24. mug — to rob

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