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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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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: wind · vault · cap · can · roll · temple · field · wax

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. 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. wind — moving air
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. field — a subject
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wax — to grow
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — to be able to
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. field — farmland
  20. field — for sport
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. 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