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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: craft · wax · vault · firm · lie · race · mouse · drill

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — to recline
  9. drill — the tool
  10. firm — a company
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. vault — a safe
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — steady
  21. drill — army training
  22. race — a contest
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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