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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: lie · date · wax · bowl · craft · wave · fork · sharp

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lie — to recline
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — to grow
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. date — the fruit
  24. craft — a skill

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