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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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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 · temple · wax · safe · wake · cap

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. craft — a skill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cap — a lid
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail

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