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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 116 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: rest · rule · row · ball · vault · current · wave · file

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. file — a line of people
  5. current — happening now
  6. file — a document
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. row — a line
  15. current — electric
  16. rest — a break
  17. rule — government
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ball — a dance
  21. current — of water
  22. file — a tool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. row — to paddle

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