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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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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: wave · wake · kid · lean · ruler · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — a trail
  15. kid — child
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — thin

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