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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: can · wax · staff · squash · last · row · vault · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. can — a tin
  5. staff — employees
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — a safe
  10. squash — to crush
  11. last — finally
  12. swing — music
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — to go on
  16. row — a line
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. squash — the sport
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — to grow
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. last — final

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