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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: wax · fork · capital · bank · land · suit · drill · craft

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. land — a country
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bank — of a river
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a city
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — army training
  20. craft — a skill
  21. land — to come down
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. land — ground
  24. capital — money

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