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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: track · craft · date · lean · wax · degree · rest · nail

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. degree — temperature
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — to grow
  16. date — the fruit
  17. lean — thin
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. track — a path
  22. rest — a break
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. date — on the calendar

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