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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: wax · board · vault · cabinet · rest · can · stem · snap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rest — what's left
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. snap — to click
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cabinet — ministers

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