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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. firm — a company
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. firm — steady
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wake — a trail
  14. craft — boats
  15. stem — to come from
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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