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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: nail · suit · vault · race · wax · stock · jam · lean

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. lean — thin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — goods
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — to grow
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — shares
  23. lean — to bend
  24. nail — for a hammer

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