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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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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: wax · wave · net · toast · craft · mate · bank · mug

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. net — after costs
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. net — for catching
  6. toast — bread
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — to grow
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — a cup
  24. net — in sport

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