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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: rest · wave · wake · vault · bear · last · arm · mine

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. last — to go on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mine — for digging
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. last — final
  12. rest — a break
  13. last — finally
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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