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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. firm — a company
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. firm — steady
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. key — the most important part

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