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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · craft · present · wax · pitcher · mate · bay · leaves

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a skill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. craft — boats
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. present — a gift
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mate — to breed
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a partner
  18. staff — a stick
  19. present — there
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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