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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · vault · charge · march · net · drill · can · wax

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — in control
  4. vault — a safe
  5. drill — army training
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. can — a tin
  8. march — the month
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. march — music
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. charge — a price
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. can — a tin

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