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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.

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: pop · wax · chip · bass · chest · leaves · craft · bay

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chest — of your body
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pop — music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. chest — a box
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bass — low music
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bass — the fish
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pop — soda

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