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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: wave · temple · wake · mark · vault · board · current · prune

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — electric
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. current — of water
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — a safe
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wake — a trail
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. board — to get on
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — happening now
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. board — a committee
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. prune — the fruit

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