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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wax — to grow
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spell — a short time
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — all right
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. squash — the sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spell — letters
  24. suit — clothes

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