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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. land — a country
  3. land — ground
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. craft — a skill
  6. land — to come down
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. face — to confront
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. craft — a handicraft

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