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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
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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: prune · pit · wax · degree · row · craft · fine · board

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wax — to grow
  5. degree — an amount
  6. board — to get on
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. row — a line
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fine — all right
  13. row — to paddle
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — a committee
  19. prune — to trim
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — a skill

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