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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: vault · suit · chair · lie · fork · wax · firm · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. firm — a company
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — decided
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — steady
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bank — for money
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wax — in the ear

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