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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stand — to bear
  5. court — for sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. court — of law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bound — certain
  11. mug — a face
  12. firm — steady
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. craft — boats
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. firm — decided
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bound — obliged
  22. court — of a king
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. firm — a company

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