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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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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 · craft · current · pass · row · vault · pop · can

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — of water
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pop — soda
  9. craft — a skill
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. can — to be able to
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pop — to visit
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — a permit
  21. craft — boats
  22. row — a line
  23. pop — music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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