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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: last · vault · cabinet · coach · rash · wax · mouse · content

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. content — the amount
  3. wax — to grow
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. last — to go on
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. last — final
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — finally
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. content — happy
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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