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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: present · wake · vault · mug · bay · shower · wax · racket

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mug — a face
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mug — to rob
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. shower — to wash
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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