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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: face · row · chair · bank · bulb · craft · wax · mouse

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. craft — a skill
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. face — to confront
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bank — for money

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