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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: craft · stock · mug · wax · chair · vault · cue · race

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — a face
  7. race — humankind
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cue — a signal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. race — a contest
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — to rob
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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