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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pitch — a sports field

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