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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pop — to visit
  6. snap — to click
  7. key — in music
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pop — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pop — soda
  20. swing — music
  21. lean — to bend
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. key — the most important part

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