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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.

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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — a safe
  6. last — to go on
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. club — a group
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. lean — thin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ball — a dance
  14. last — final
  15. ball — a great time
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. last — finally
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lean — to bend
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wax — to grow
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — to come from

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