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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. object — a thing
  3. ground — a position
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. swing — in golf
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ground — crushed
  11. craft — boats
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. swing — music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. face — to confront
  17. scale — size or range
  18. craft — a skill
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. scale — in music
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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