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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: game · safe · craft · pitcher · rest · foot · wax · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. craft — a skill
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. craft — boats
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rest — a break
  24. game — a match

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