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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · tear · file · wave · coach · vault

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. tear — to rip
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. tear — from crying
  5. file — a line of people
  6. vault — a safe
  7. file — a document
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. file — a tool
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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