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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 116 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: ball · mine · stick · season · wax · craft · scale · mate

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mate — to breed
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mate — a friend
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mine — for digging
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — in music
  21. season — in sport
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wax — for sculpting

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