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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: roll · wax · lie · net · wind · stem · craft · drill

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. drill — a practice
  3. craft — a skill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lie — to recline
  15. roll — a cake
  16. net — in sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wind — moving air
  19. craft — boats
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. net — for catching

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