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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · wake · tube · fan · game · current · racket · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. game — a match
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — happening now
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wake — a trail
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. vault — a safe
  15. tube — a container
  16. current — of water
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. current — electric
  23. game — wild animals
  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