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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 · last · branch · firm · bulb · stock · vault · fan

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. last — to go on
  5. stock — shares
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — steady
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stock — goods
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. firm — a company
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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