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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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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: tube · bass · nail · spell · rush · wake · wave · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spell — letters
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. last — to go on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spell — magic
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. last — final
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bass — low music

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