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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · leaves · wake · vault · plane · rest · wound · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rest — a break
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rest — what's left
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wound — an injury
  9. plane — a tool
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. game — a match
  22. bear — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wake — a trail

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