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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 120 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: swing · wax · staff · deal · rock · vault · craft · cell

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rock — music
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — in golf
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cell — in biology
  16. staff — employees
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. vault — a safe
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. swing — to play on
  22. cell — a phone
  23. staff — a stick
  24. swing — music

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