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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — a tin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. craft — boats
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fall — the season
  24. can — to be able to

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