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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · present · mouse · bulb · rush · vault · field

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. field — for sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. vault — a safe
  14. present — a gift
  15. field — farmland
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — a subject
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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