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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 · cap · vault · saw · mate · craft · cue · mark

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. saw — the tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wax — to grow
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. vault — a safe
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cap — of ice
  20. craft — boats
  21. cue — a signal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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