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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: present · fork · lash · mark · roll · vault · pop · wave

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. present — a gift
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — a trace
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. roll — a list
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pop — music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. present — there
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. present — the time now

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