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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · racket · lie · current · vault · wax

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — a measure
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. current — happening now
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. current — of water
  17. lie — to recline
  18. vault — a safe

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