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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: bank · land · fan · scale · ball · craft · wax · nail

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bank — of a river
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — in music
  9. bank — for money
  10. craft — boats
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — to come down
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wax — in the ear

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