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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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · wax · wave · rule · fan · perch · mine · racket

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. craft — boats
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rule — government
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rule — a law
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — a supporter

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