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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: vault · bear · trunk · current · wave · cue · fall · leaves

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cue — a signal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. trunk — of a tree

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