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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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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: bank · wax · lash · tube · toast · ruler · band · vault

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bank — for money
  8. wax — to grow
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bank — for money
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. tube — a container
  18. band — a ring
  19. toast — bread
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — of a river
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ruler — for measuring

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