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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 · bark · craft · kick · stick · hand · toast · current

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. current — of water
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. current — electric
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — in football
  10. hand — help
  11. bark — to shout
  12. current — happening now
  13. hand — in cards
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — bread
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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