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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
468
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: lash · vault · tube · safe · bass · leaves · wax · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. vault — a safe
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. leaves — lets stay

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