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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: season · wax · nail · vault · bear · spell · cap · fall

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. spell — a short time
  3. season — in sport
  4. spell — letters
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spell — magic
  15. cap — a hat
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fall — to drop

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