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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. present — a gift
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — a break
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ground — the earth
  18. present — the time now
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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