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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rest — what's left
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. wax — to grow
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to sink
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. band — a ring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rest — a break
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wax — for sculpting

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