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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chest — a box
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — a price
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — in control
  7. chest — of your body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mug — to rob
  14. charge — electricity
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. craft — a skill
  19. race — humankind
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — a cup
  22. chest — of your body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. race — a contest

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