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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 · vault · rule · fall · pound · spell

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rule — a law
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rule — government
  7. fall — to drop
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — a weight
  10. vault — a safe
  11. spell — magic
  12. fall — to drop
  13. spell — letters
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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