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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mug — a face
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wax — to grow
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — boats
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rest — a break
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. craft — a handicraft

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