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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wax — to grow
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cap — a lid
  7. craft — boats
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. current — of water
  11. cap — of ice
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. current — electric
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. craft — a skill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. current — happening now

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