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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: fine · cabinet · vault · ball · mouse · wax · chair · file

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ball — a dance
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — all right
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. file — a tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. file — a document
  24. wax — to grow

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