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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 116 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: rule · leaves · wax · mark · mine · craft · sharp · can

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. craft — boats
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — clever
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rule — government
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rule — a law
  22. mark — a grade
  23. craft — a skill
  24. leaves — lets stay

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