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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.

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: wax · snap · tube · ball · field · suit · vault · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — a subject
  12. ball — a dance
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — for sport
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wax — to grow
  23. vault — a safe
  24. suit — clothes

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