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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 116 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: press · lie · wake · vault · snap · bank · object · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. press — a publisher
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wax — to grow
  8. object — an aim
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. press — to push
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — newspapers
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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