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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
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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: foot · wax · can · craft · mine · object · lean · pitch

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — a skill
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. object — to protest
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lean — to bend
  18. object — an aim
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. craft — boats

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