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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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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: suit · vault · wax · fan · firm · file · cue · spell

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cue — a hint
  3. file — a document
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wax — to grow
  7. firm — steady
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spell — letters
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. spell — magic
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cue — for pool
  19. file — a tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cue — a signal
  23. firm — decided
  24. vault — a safe

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