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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. firm — steady
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. roll — a cake
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. roll — a list
  14. craft — boats
  15. kid — to tease
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. kid — child
  20. wax — to grow
  21. craft — a skill
  22. dip — to sink
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. roll — on a roll

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