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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: spring · bound · sharp · wax · toast · pop · vault · bulb

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pop — soda
  4. toast — bread
  5. pop — music
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spring — the season
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bound — certain
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. vault — a safe
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bulb — for light
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wax — to grow

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