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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wax — to grow
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. content — the amount
  5. firm — steady
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. firm — decided
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — government
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. content — happy
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wake — a trail
  20. tube — a container
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. firm — a company
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — boats

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