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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 · scale · vault · wax · board · pass · club · calf

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. club — a group
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kid — child
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. club — for dancing
  21. kid — to tease
  22. scale — size or range
  23. board — to get on
  24. pass — to succeed

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