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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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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: capital · saw · vault · wax · lash · snap · safe · lean

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. saw — the tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. capital — a city
  10. snap — to click
  11. wax — to grow
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. vault — a safe
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wax — for sculpting

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