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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: craft · current · mug · kid · wax · hide · pit · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a face
  7. pit — in a race
  8. kid — child
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — finally
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kid — to tease
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. last — final
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — a cup
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. current — electric
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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