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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: staff · craft · wax · mark · roll · nail · cell · lean

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. roll — a list
  3. craft — boats
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mark — a trace
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. lean — thin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in a prison

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