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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: date · craft · wax · bass · row · perch · board · rock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bass — low music
  4. board — to get on
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. row — to paddle
  8. date — the fruit
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rock — a stone
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — boats
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — a skill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. row — a line
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wax — to grow
  22. rock — music
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — a committee

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