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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. key — for a lock
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — shares
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mark — a trace
  24. key — in music

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