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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: row · wax · capital · craft · nail · mate · wave · fine

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mate — a friend
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mate — to breed
  6. capital — money
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mate — a partner
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. craft — boats
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. capital — a city
  24. row — a line

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