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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — boats
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ground — a position
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. squash — to crush
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. wax — to grow
  24. squash — the sport

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