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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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 great time
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stock — goods
  5. bank — for money
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — shares
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bank — for money
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — to grow
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. craft — boats
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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