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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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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: coach · straw · wave · vault · wake · fork · racket · snap

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. coach — a trainer

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