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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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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: wax · bound · squash · vault · suit · mark

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wax — to grow
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bound — obliged
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bound — certain
  15. vault — a safe
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. squash — to crush

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