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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: file · suit · wave · straw · fine · row · wake · vault

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. file — a tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. file — a line of people
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. file — a document
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. suit — to fit
  23. row — a line
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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