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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: object · craft · dip · fine · date · key · court · wax

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — a skill
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — to protest
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. object — a thing
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. court — of law
  20. fine — high quality
  21. object — an aim
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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