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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 116 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: scale · wave · band · trunk · rush · firm · vault · snap

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. firm — decided
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. snap — to click
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. vault — a safe
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. band — a music group
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a ring
  24. scale — for weighing

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