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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — a subject
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. net — after costs
  23. bank — for money
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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