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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stock — goods
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stock — shares
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rest — a break
  13. kick — in football
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. craft — boats
  17. wax — to grow
  18. craft — a skill
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stock — a soup base

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