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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. march — the month
  5. fine — high quality
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. march — the month
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. club — for dancing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. vault — a safe
  12. club — for golf
  13. fine — all right
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. club — a group
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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