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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rest — a break
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a skill
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fine — all right

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