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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: safe · tear · pitch · craft · mate · wax

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tear — to rip
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wax — to grow
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mate — a partner

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