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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.

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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: craft · arm · saw · plane · jam · wax · key · vault

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. craft — boats
  6. vault — a safe
  7. key — for a lock
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — a tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wax — to grow
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. key — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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