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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: row · vault · suit · prune · firm · dip · chair · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chair — a leader
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — a company
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. dip — to sink
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. firm — steady
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. row — to paddle
  23. prune — to trim
  24. row — a line

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