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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: mark · hide · wax · cap · drill · vault · cabinet · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cap — a lid
  10. drill — a practice
  11. vault — a safe
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wax — to grow
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. drill — army training
  24. mark — to pay attention

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