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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. firm — decided
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. firm — steady
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. firm — a company
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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