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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. drill — the tool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wax — to grow
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. club — for golf
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. tube — the underground
  10. snap — to click
  11. dip — to sink
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. club — a group
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. club — for dancing
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. drill — army training
  23. vault — a safe
  24. drill — a practice

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