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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. wax — to grow
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — in football
  7. can — a tin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. degree — an amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. craft — boats
  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