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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a skill
  3. march — the month
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. firm — decided
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. squash — the sport
  9. firm — steady
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. craft — boats
  14. march — music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. march — the month
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — to shout
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — to grow

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