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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: vault · object · craft · lean · wax · temple · race · current

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. current — electric
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. object — to protest
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. race — a contest
  8. wax — to grow
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — happening now
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lean — thin
  20. current — of water
  21. object — an aim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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