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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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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 · rule · rash · last · lie · firm · vault · swing

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. swing — in golf
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rash — a series
  6. firm — steady
  7. last — to go on
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. last — finally
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rule — government
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rule — a law
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — decided
  24. wax — to grow

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