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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.

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: chip · pitcher · vault · wax · wave · can · fine · shower

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fine — high quality
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — rain
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fine — all right
  24. can — a tin

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