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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: wax · vault · mine · face · calf · toast · chair · roll

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. roll — a cake
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. face — part of the head
  12. chair — a leader
  13. roll — a list
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mine — for digging
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. toast — bread

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