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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
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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: coach · snap · lean · suit · stand · wax · vault · current

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — in cards
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. current — happening now
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. current — electric
  10. vault — a safe
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. current — of water
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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