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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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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: hide · plane · wound · suit · land · wave · vault · wind

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. suit — in cards
  3. vault — a safe
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. plane — a tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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