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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: cap · bay · race · rush · bank · present · wax · craft

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — boats
  3. present — the time now
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bank — for money
  6. present — there
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bank — for money
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. race — a contest
  14. bank — of a river
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. race — humankind
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. craft — a skill
  23. present — a gift
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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