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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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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 · bay · stand · race · calf · foot · shower

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. race — a contest
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. shower — rain
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. race — humankind
  16. stand — to bear
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. race — the arms race

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