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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bass — low music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. race — humankind
  14. craft — boats
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rock — music
  24. wax — to grow

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