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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: vault · pound · wax · current · fall · ball · jam · scale

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. scale — in music
  7. current — electric
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wax — to grow
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. current — of water
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. current — happening now
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pound — a weight
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. ball — a dance

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