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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: spell · pitcher · file · wax · vault · race · object · kick

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. file — a document
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. spell — magic
  8. wax — to grow
  9. object — an aim
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. race — a contest
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. kick — in football
  14. file — a tool
  15. race — humankind
  16. spell — letters
  17. object — to protest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — a safe
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wax — in the ear

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