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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — to grow
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. craft — boats
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. craft — a skill

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