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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 · fine · firm · land · club · kick · present · craft

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. craft — boats
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — there
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. land — to come down
  11. kick — in football
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fine — all right
  16. firm — steady
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — decided
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. firm — a company
  24. present — the time now

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