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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. craft — a skill
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pound — a weight
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — boats

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