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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: rush · craft · cabinet · ball · stock · wax · drill · pitch

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. drill — army training
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. pitch — completely
  14. craft — boats
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stock — shares

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