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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 120 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: lash · vault · pitcher · wake · bowl · stock · can · wax

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stock — shares
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — goods
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wake — a trail
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — for sculpting

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