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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: vault · wax · bore · tube · roll · lie · bay · race

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. roll — a list
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. tube — a container
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wax — to grow
  17. race — humankind
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bore — to tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bore — to drill

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