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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: jam · key · squash · pitcher · wax · bay · craft · bore

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wax — to grow
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. key — in music
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. craft — boats
  24. bore — gave birth

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