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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
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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: wake · present · cue · pop · squash · vault · bark · wax

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. squash — to crush
  7. present — there
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. present — a gift
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. squash — the sport
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pop — soda
  23. present — the time now
  24. cue — a signal

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