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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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — boats
  7. wake — a trail
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cell — in biology
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rest — a break

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