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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: fine · key · craft · wax · last · stick · cue · saw

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. last — to go on
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — all right
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. last — final
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. last — finally

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