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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 116 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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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: wax · vault · chip · wave · bowl · race · bank · fall

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bank — for money
  13. fall — the season
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fall — to drop
  17. race — a contest
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bank — of a river
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wax — in the ear

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