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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: temple · pop · squash · lash · foot · bark · wax · vault

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. foot — a measure
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pop — music
  10. vault — a safe
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — to crush
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pop — soda
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pop — to visit
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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