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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: nail · wave · straw · bowl · vault · lie · leaves · band

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a music group
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. band — a ring

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