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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. sharp — clever
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — clothes

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