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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bound — certain
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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