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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.

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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: wave · dip · pit · stick · vault · mate · wax · tube

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — a hole
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — in a race
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mate — a friend
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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