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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: shower · cap · root · hide · wax · vault · lie · craft

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a skill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cap — a hat
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lie — to recline
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. vault — a safe
  14. root — the cause
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. root — of a word
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. shower — rain
  24. craft — boats

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