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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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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: wake · firm · snap · ruler · rash · stand · vault · wave

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. firm — decided
  6. wake — a trail
  7. firm — steady
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. snap — to click
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. firm — a company
  12. rash — a series
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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