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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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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: root · patient · wax · bore · vault · hide · wave · object

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. object — to protest
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. object — a thing
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. object — an aim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. root — the cause

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