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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. court — of a king
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. court — of law
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. court — for sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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