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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. craft — boats
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mark — a trace
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mark — a grade
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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