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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. craft — boats
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. prune — to trim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — to bear
  13. spell — magic
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. safe — a strongbox

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