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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. present — a gift
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. craft — boats
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fine — all right
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. present — the time now
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — there
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — of a plant

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