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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stand — to bear
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — thin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mate — to breed
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — to bend
  23. suit — to fit
  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