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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — the time now
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — a skill
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. sharp — clever
  18. craft — boats
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rest — what's left
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. present — there

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