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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. craft — boats
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. swing — in golf
  6. ball — a great time
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — a company
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — steady
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — music
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. shower — to wash
  24. fan — a supporter

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