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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
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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: mate · wax · leaves · object · race · drill · craft · bulb

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. race — a contest
  3. object — a thing
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mate — a partner
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. object — an aim
  9. drill — a practice
  10. craft — boats
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — humankind
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. drill — army training
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. object — to protest

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