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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: net · rash · wax · vault · stand · chair · rock · board

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rash — a series
  4. net — in sport
  5. rash — hasty
  6. board — a committee
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wax — to grow
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — a safe
  19. net — after costs
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. board — to get on
  23. net — for catching
  24. rock — a stone

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