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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wax — to grow
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. kid — to tease
  7. craft — a skill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. kid — child
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. key — in music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. capital — a city
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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