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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: craft · wax · kid · current · wave · season · pitcher · fork

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kid — child
  7. season — in sport
  8. craft — a skill
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. craft — boats
  14. current — of water
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. kid — to tease
  17. current — electric
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. season — of the year
  24. wax — in the ear

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