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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.

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: wax · craft · staff · row · mark · mug · calf · chair

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mug — a face
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wax — to grow
  11. row — a line
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mark — a grade
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mug — a cup
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. staff — employees
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a trace

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