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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: lie · tear · wax · vault · deal · can · chest · bear

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wax — to grow
  4. vault — a safe
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chest — a box
  18. can — a tin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. tear — from crying
  21. lie — to recline
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lie — an untruth

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