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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. can — a tin
  6. lean — thin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. craft — boats
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wax — to grow
  19. game — a match
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. can — to be able to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wave — of the sea

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