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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. roll — a list
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. chair — to sit 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