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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: kid · ground · squash · wax · vault · mouse · safe · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. squash — to crush
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the sport
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wax — to grow
  23. kid — child
  24. safe — out of danger

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