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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. firm — a company
  5. spring — of water
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. firm — steady
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — help
  22. firm — decided
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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