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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: vault · pound · temple · wax · key · stand · net · pass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wax — to grow
  4. key — in music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. vault — a safe
  15. net — in sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — for a lock

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