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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. game — wild animals
  7. craft — boats
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wax — to grow
  10. fork — in a road
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mate — to breed
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mate — a partner
  17. face — to confront
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. craft — a skill

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