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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
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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: mate · bay · craft · lie · wax · calf · lean · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mate — a partner
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bark — to shout
  13. craft — boats
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — to breed
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wax — to grow

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