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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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mug — to rob
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cell — a phone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chip — for betting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mug — a face
  13. bat — the animal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mug — a cup
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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