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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: wax · lie · cold · track · object · craft · squash · coach

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cold — not warm
  5. squash — the sport
  6. track — a path
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — an aim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — a thing
  14. lie — to recline
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a song
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — to keep track
  23. craft — a skill
  24. squash — to crush

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