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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — boats
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mate — a friend
  18. suit — clothes
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a skill
  24. suit — to fit

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