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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
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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: fine · cue · wax · mug · vault · band · wound · craft

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — a cup
  9. band — a ring
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cue — a signal
  16. band — a music group
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — all right
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fine — high quality
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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