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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 120 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: craft · wave · wax · firm · scale · press · board · stock

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wax — to grow
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — goods
  7. craft — boats
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stock — shares
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. scale — in music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. firm — a company
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — decided
  19. press — newspapers
  20. firm — steady
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wax — for sculpting

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