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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: wave · spell · file · board · mug · rest · wake · ruler

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spell — letters
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mug — a face
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spell — a short time
  11. file — a document
  12. rest — a break
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rest — what's left
  16. board — to get on
  17. spell — magic
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. board — a committee
  21. file — a tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. file — a line of people
  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