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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 116 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: mark · wax · lean · board · last · vault · craft · bark

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wax — to grow
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. last — final
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. craft — a skill
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. last — finally
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. board — a committee
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. craft — boats
  23. last — to go on
  24. bark — to shout

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