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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
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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: coach · jam · wax · snap · lean · craft · wake · row

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. row — to paddle
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. row — a line
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. snap — to click
  17. lean — to bend
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. craft — boats
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lean — thin
  24. row — a quarrel

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