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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bass — the fish
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bound — certain
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wax — to grow
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bass — low music

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