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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bound — certain
  3. face — to confront
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wax — to grow
  7. craft — boats
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bound — obliged
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — wild animals
  14. face — part of the head
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — tied together
  24. deal — an agreement

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