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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mark · craft · date · root · bay · mine · wax · bound

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mine — for digging
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — of a word
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — boats
  24. mine — an explosive

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