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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: pass · mug · wax · staff · prune · trunk · plane · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. staff — a stick
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mug — a face
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. staff — employees
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pass — to spend time

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