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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ball — a great time
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. craft — boats
  7. ball — a dance
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wax — to grow
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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