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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.

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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: fall · wound · fork · safe · wave · pound · mark · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fall — to drop
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fall — the season
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wound — an injury
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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