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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 120 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: content · shower · row · stand · safe · wax · vault · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stand — to bear
  4. content — happy
  5. wax — to grow
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. cap — a hat
  10. row — a line
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — rain
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. content — the amount

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