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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 · roll · band · tube · vault · rock · present · wound

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — to grow
  4. present — a gift
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a ring
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. roll — a list
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tube — a container
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. present — there
  15. rock — music
  16. band — a music group
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. roll — a cake
  20. present — the time now
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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