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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. craft — a skill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. branch — a division
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. current — electric
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — boats
  12. current — happening now
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. cell — a phone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. net — in sport
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wax — for sculpting

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