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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: stem · fine · vault · wave · sharp · fan · track · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. vault — a safe
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stem — to come from
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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