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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: wake · safe · suit · wax · cold · stock · vault · pass

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pass — a permit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — goods
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wake — a trail
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cold — an illness
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — clothes

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