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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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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: board · spring · wax · toast · deal · fork · vault · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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. board — a flat piece
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fork — in a road
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. vault — a safe
  11. board — a committee
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spring — a coil
  16. toast — bread
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spring — the season
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spring — of water
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wax — to grow

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