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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wax · bark · spring · ruler · vault · row · can · shower

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. shower — rain
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. row — to paddle
  5. spring — of water
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. row — a line
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bark — to shout
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. can — to be able to
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — a safe

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