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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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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: lie · scale · leaves · vault · bay · wax · wind · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — in music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lie — to recline
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. vault — a safe
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wind — moving air
  24. leaves — lets stay

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