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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.

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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — a break
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. object — a thing
  16. fall — the season
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fall — to drop
  20. object — to protest
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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