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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 124 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 · ruler · fork · file · vault · ground

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fork — to eat with

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