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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: vault · wax · current · pitcher · present · track · stock · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a song
  3. current — of water
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — goods
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. present — the time now
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. track — a path
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. present — there
  15. current — electric
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. present — a gift
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitcher — a jug

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