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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: saw · wax · pitcher · plane · stock · pit · wave · craft

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — shares
  3. craft — a skill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — goods
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. craft — boats
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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