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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · march · wax · suit · vault · swing

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — to grow
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. swing — in golf
  8. march — the month
  9. swing — music
  10. march — the month
  11. vault — a safe
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. swing — to play on
  15. march — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. nail — for a hammer

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