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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. shower — rain
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — for a lock
  9. charge — in control
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wax — to grow
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pound — a weight
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — a price
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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