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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: sharp · bark · date · pass · fan · craft · wax · ball

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a skill
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — to grow
  21. date — the fruit
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fan — to cool the air

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