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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: date · nail · wax · arm · bore · object · face · craft

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. face — to point toward
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. craft — boats
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. object — an aim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. object — to protest
  17. wax — to grow
  18. face — part of the head
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. object — a thing
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to confront

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