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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. craft — boats
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. net — after costs
  7. land — a country
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. land — to come down
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. net — for catching
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. land — ground
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. net — in sport
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. craft — a skill
  24. arm — part of the body

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