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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. spring — of water
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. staff — employees
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. board — a committee
  21. staff — a stick
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wax — in the ear

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