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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: mine · craft · dip · lie · racket · stock · wax · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stock — goods
  6. object — a thing
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — boats
  9. wax — to grow
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stock — shares
  12. object — an aim
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. craft — a skill
  24. dip — a sauce

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