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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 · coach · spell · rash · vault · current · rest · court

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. current — electric
  5. spell — magic
  6. court — of a king
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rest — what's left
  11. current — happening now
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — a series
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wax — to grow
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. current — of water
  22. rest — a break
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spell — letters

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