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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 · mine · bass · lean · wax · pop · charge · vault

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bass — low music
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pop — soda
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mine — for digging
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. charge — a price
  14. lean — thin
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bass — the fish
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. charge — in control
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bass — the instrument

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