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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: firm · craft · land · suit · board · wax · wind · vault

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. land — to come down
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. land — ground
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. board — a committee
  8. wind — moving air
  9. land — a country
  10. board — to get on
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. firm — steady
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wind — moving air
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — boats
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — a skill

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