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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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468
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: track · vault · wax · arm · rash · net · tear · stem

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. tear — to rip
  4. track — a path
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. net — for catching
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rash — a series
  10. net — after costs
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stem — to come from
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rash — hasty

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