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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: lean · bore · squash · calf · wax · pop · toast · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. vault — a safe
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bore — to drill
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wax — to grow
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. toast — bread
  19. pop — music
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lean — thin
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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