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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: wax · firm · craft · spring · wake · suit · can · scale

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. spring — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — boats
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. spring — the season
  12. scale — in music
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. firm — steady
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. spring — a coil
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. can — to be able to
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — to grow
  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