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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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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 · vault · deal · fork · root · swing · stock · file

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. root — the cause
  3. vault — a safe
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. root — of a word
  6. stock — shares
  7. file — a tool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. file — a document
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. swing — music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stock — goods
  22. root — of a plant
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. file — a line of people

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