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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wax — to grow
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — decided
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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