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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: nail · bulb · vault · sharp · wake · field · ruler · wave

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. field — for sport
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. field — a subject
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. field — farmland
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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