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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.

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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: ruler · vault · cue · mug · wax · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. cue — a hint
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — farmland
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cue — a signal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wax — in the ear

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