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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: bass · suit · toast · mouse · chest · wax · wave · craft

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. suit — to fit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. suit — in cards
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wax — to grow
  9. suit — clothes
  10. toast — bread
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. chest — a box
  18. bass — low music
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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