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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · fall · wave · nail · sharp · tube · spell · wake

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — letters
  11. fall — to drop
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. spell — a short time
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fall — the season
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. tube — the underground
  22. vault — a safe
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. wave — with your hand

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