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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · lie · mug · wave · bark · craft · staff · wax

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wax — to grow
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. lie — to recline
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mug — a face
  14. staff — employees
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. staff — a stick
  20. content — happy
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. content — the amount
  24. mug — a cup

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