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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: rest · vault · wake · wave · current · ruler

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. current — of water
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. current — electric
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — a trail
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rest — what's left

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