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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: sharp · rash · pit · wax · craft · content · plane · bear

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rash — a series
  11. sharp — clever
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pit — in a race
  19. content — happy
  20. craft — boats
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rash — on the skin

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