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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 120 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: wax · content · prune · trunk · vault · firm · patient · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wax — to grow
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. file — a line of people
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. file — a tool
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. firm — decided
  15. vault — a safe
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. content — the amount
  22. prune — to trim
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — a company

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