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

Word bank: wax · swing · ruler · bass · vault · race

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. vault — a safe
  6. race — a contest
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. race — humankind
  9. swing — music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bass — low music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. race — the arms race
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wax — to grow
  18. swing — in golf

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