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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. 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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wax — to grow
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. craft — boats
  9. fork — in a road
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. charge — in control
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. saw — the tool
  18. 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