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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 120 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: tube · wave · pitcher · saw · present · pound · ruler · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. present — the time now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. present — there
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ruler — for measuring

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