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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wind — moving air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cue — a hint
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cue — for pool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. kid — child
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pass — a permit
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pass — to spend time

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