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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. craft — boats
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. craft — a skill
  11. game — wild animals
  12. band — a ring
  13. wax — to grow
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. game — a match
  23. band — a music group
  24. wax — in the ear

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