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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spell — letters
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wax — to grow
  18. craft — boats
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. rush — to hurry

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