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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 120 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: object · nail · wax · fork · craft · club · tube · rock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. club — a group
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. object — to protest
  10. rock — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for dancing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — boats
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — a thing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tube — a container

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