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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 · stand · stick · foot · rush · craft · bulb · spell

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — to bear
  3. foot — a measure
  4. craft — boats
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. craft — a skill
  22. spell — letters
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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