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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: key · wax · bound · mine · leaves · date · vault · kick

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bound — certain
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wax — to grow
  8. kick — in football
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bound — tied together
  13. date — the fruit
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. kick — with a leg

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