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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: wave · rush · tube · clip · board · vault · stand · hand

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. clip — for paper
  4. vault — a safe
  5. tube — the underground
  6. clip — a video
  7. hand — in cards
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — to get on
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. board — a committee
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rush — hurry
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tube — a container
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hand — help

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