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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 116 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: firm · stock · object · craft · safe · branch · present · wax

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. firm — decided
  3. object — an aim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. present — a gift
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. craft — boats
  15. present — there
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. craft — a skill
  19. object — to protest
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — a thing
  22. firm — a company
  23. present — the time now
  24. safe — out of danger

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