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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: pit · track · wax · craft · face · deal · ball · plane

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. face — to confront
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wax — to grow
  14. deal — to handle
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — in a race
  19. plane — a tool
  20. track — a song
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. track — to keep track
  24. craft — a handicraft

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