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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 · squash · bass · stick · wax · arm · bowl · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. wax — to grow
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — a safe
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — low music

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