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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. firm — decided
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. craft — a skill
  24. leaves — to go away

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