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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cap — of ice
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cap — a hat
  12. present — a gift
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. craft — boats
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. present — there
  19. wax — to grow
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cap — a lid
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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