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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 120 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: drill · lie · wake · spell · current · wave · vault · court

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. current — electric
  3. drill — the tool
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — a safe
  7. spell — magic
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wake — a trail
  10. court — of law
  11. current — happening now
  12. spell — letters
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — to recline
  16. drill — army training
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — a short time
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. court — for sport
  23. drill — a practice
  24. court — of a king

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