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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: charge · last · pit · foot · vault · nail · wave · wake

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. last — final
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — a measure
  20. vault — a safe
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — in control
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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