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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: bore · leaves · cell · vault · object · wax · bowl · staff

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. object — to protest
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. object — an aim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. object — a thing
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bore — to drill
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bore — gave birth

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