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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: wax · stem · vault · current · bass · bulb · drill · tube

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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 — in gymnastics
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. stem — to come from
  9. drill — army training
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. current — electric
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the fish
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — the tool
  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