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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 120 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: game · last · craft · leaves · rest · wax · foot · bank

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. last — to go on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bank — of a river
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wax — to grow
  20. game — wild animals
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. rest — a break
  24. bank — for money

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