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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 116 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. file — a tool
  8. cell — in biology
  9. file — a document
  10. wax — to grow
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. craft — boats
  24. cell — a phone

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