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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. saw — the tool
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fine — all right
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — a skill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rock — music
  16. craft — boats
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fine — a penalty

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