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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: patient · wax · mine · craft · current · pound · leaves · safe

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. current — happening now
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pound — a weight
  19. craft — boats
  20. mine — for digging
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. patient — a sick person

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