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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fine — high quality
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fine — all right
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. toast — bread

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