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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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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: lean · chest · charge · rest · firm · wax · temple · vault

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  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. charge — a price
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lean — to bend
  4. chest — of your body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — thin
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — a break
  16. chest — a box
  17. rest — what's left
  18. firm — decided
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wax — to grow
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chest — of your body
  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