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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: mug · jam · row · shower · firm · rush · wax · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wax — to grow
  3. shower — rain
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mug — to rob
  9. firm — decided
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — steady
  14. shower — to wash
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. firm — a company
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mug — a face
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. row — a line

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