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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 124 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 that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pop — music
  3. season — in sport
  4. pop — soda
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. foot — a measure
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. tube — a container
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tube — the underground
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pop — to visit
  23. season — of the year
  24. wax — for sculpting

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