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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stock — shares
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. craft — boats
  11. rule — a law
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rule — government
  20. stock — goods
  21. wax — to grow
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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