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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: saw · bear · fine · craft · wax · lean · vault · pitcher

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fine — all right
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lean — thin
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — to bend
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bear — the animal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — a penalty

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