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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 116 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. dip — to sink
  4. charge — a price
  5. craft — boats
  6. wound — an injury
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mine — for digging
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pound — a weight
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. firm — decided
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wound — an injury
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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