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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: wax · staff · safe · drill · squash · arm · vault · sharp

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. staff — a stick
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. vault — a safe
  7. drill — the tool
  8. squash — the sport
  9. drill — army training
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. squash — to crush
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. drill — a practice

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