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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 120 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: nail · plane · vault · wax · cabinet · present · spell · chest

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. spell — letters
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. chest — a box
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — the time now
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. chest — of your body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chest — of your body
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. present — there
  20. spell — a short time
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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