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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wax — to grow
  6. present — a gift
  7. craft — a skill
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. key — in music
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. present — there
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cabinet — ministers

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