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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: bark · patient · saw · vault · suit · lie · craft · wax

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bark — to shout
  14. suit — clothes
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. craft — boats
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. saw — the tool

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