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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.

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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: arm · bulb · file · wax · toast · craft · safe · date

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. wax — to grow
  8. date — the fruit
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. craft — a skill
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. file — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. file — a document
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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