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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.

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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: cabinet · present · bore · net · craft · temple · fine · wax

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. net — after costs
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. present — a gift
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — the time now
  14. bore — to tire
  15. craft — boats
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. net — for catching
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fine — high quality
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wax — in the ear

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