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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: drill · wave · rush · wound · vault · rock · firm · last

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. drill — a practice
  7. last — finally
  8. firm — steady
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. firm — decided
  12. wound — an injury
  13. last — final
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — army training
  23. rush — hurry
  24. last — to go on

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