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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: mate · plane · field · bank · craft · rush · wax · rash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wax — to grow
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mate — a friend
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rash — a series
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. craft — boats
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. field — a subject
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mate — a partner

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