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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: wax · bore · bulb · wave · trunk · wake · vault · mate

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mate — to breed
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wake — a trail
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wax — to grow
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bulb — of a plant

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