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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 · net · craft · deal · leaves · patient · shower · bowl

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. shower — rain
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. net — after costs
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. net — for catching
  11. craft — boats
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wax — to grow
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. shower — to wash
  18. net — in sport
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. craft — a skill

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