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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 · rush · rock · fork · object · suit · file · field

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. file — a tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. file — a line of people
  10. field — farmland
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. field — for sport
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — in a road
  23. field — a subject
  24. wave — of the sea

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