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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 · game · wave · nail · calf · wake · rush · fork

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. tube — a container
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. game — a match
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. game — wild animals
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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