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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: can · stock · saw · wax · content · bay · present · deal

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — there
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. can — to be able to
  11. content — happy
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. content — the amount
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — to handle
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — shares
  24. deal — a big deal

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