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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: wave · club · mouse · vault · racket · dip · spring · kick

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spring — a coil
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spring — the season
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. club — a group
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. spring — of water
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. kick — in football
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for golf

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