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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: squash · suit · wax · pound · vault · kick · scale · lash

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pound — a weight
  10. kick — in football
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wax — to grow
  13. squash — the sport
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. suit — in cards
  24. squash — to crush

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