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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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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: pitcher · wax · foot · kid · tube · vault · deal · stick

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. deal — to handle
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. kid — to tease
  7. tube — the underground
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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