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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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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: vault · wake · wave · cabinet · bark · lash · arm · rush

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — a trail
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cabinet — ministers

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