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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 116 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: mug · net · can · vault · stem · file · saw · wax

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — after costs
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mug — to rob
  8. net — in sport
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. file — a document
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wax — to grow
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. net — for catching
  21. mug — a cup
  22. file — a tool
  23. mug — a face
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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