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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: lie · kid · wax · pound · plane · branch · vault · rush

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wax — for sculpting

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