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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: wax · present · saw · craft · mouse · root · hide · lie

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. root — the cause
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — to grow
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. present — there
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. root — of a word
  21. craft — boats
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — the time now

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