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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · degree · wave · mark · current · wake · vault · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ground — a position
  3. march — the month
  4. degree — from a university
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. degree — an amount
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mark — a grade
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ground — the earth
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wake — a trail
  24. current — electric

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